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Production History--Monte Cassino - a documentary project

July, 1999: The GIF crew traveled to Allentown, PA to interview the veterans of the 34th Division--the U.S. Red Bull Division.  Their Tri-State Veterans Association reunion was well attended, and we spoke to several of the men who were the first of the Allied forces to occupy Cassino town and the points nearest to the Abbey in January, 1944.

Also, in July we traveled down to Texas (Austin and San Antonio) and filmed several of the veterans of the 36th Division--the U.S. "Texas" Division.  We were treated to Texas hospitality by  members of the Texas Military Museum, and we conducted our interviews in the 36th Division's recently established and well designed museum at Camp Mabry.

May, 1999:  We returned to Cassino, the Abbey, and  battlefields this May [1999]. Our very busy schedule included filming the large Polish commemorations at their famous cemetery facing the monastery (below Pt. 593).  We were honored to interview veterans of the Cassino battles from the Polish, British, and German armies.  In addition, we had the unique privilege of interviewing an Italian woman who was in the Abbey with her baby during the aerial bombardment of February 15th, 1944.  She continues to live in the same house overlooking the Abbey which her family occupied before the War.  We had an inspirational filming session with monk Don Pietro who is "second in command" of the Abbey under Abbot Bernardo D'Onorio.  Don Pietro spoke passionately about the ancient and wondrous history of St. Benedict, his order, and the Abbey of Monte Cassino.

Statue of St. Benedict reaching for heaven at his death

In May 1999, we also interviewed John Williams, British Commander of F Troop, 328 Battery, 99th Lt. AA, Royal Artillery; his regimental commander was Colonel Alex Wilkinson, George Medal, D.S.O, M.C, and Bar. We filmed John as he returned to his Observation Post on Mt. Trocchio where German mortars very nearly killed him.  Read his story.

Bill Hawkins of the 4th Bn, Essex Regt., 4th Indian Division, was also filmed as he returned to Castle Hill for the first time since that fatefull time in March, 1944, when he and his comrades were under siege by German Paratroopers attacking from the Abbey. Read his diary describing the filming.

While at Cassino in May, 1999, Bill spoke with Robert Frettlohr, a member of the German Paras who attacked the Castle.  They discussed the battle of so many years before.  Read Robert's story.

May, 1997: The Grand Island Films crew had the humbling experience of filming in and around Cassino. The battlefields were awash in red poppies. We spoke with New Zealand vets in the well-groomed Commonwealth Cemetery.

New Zealand veterans of Cassino speak with GIF producers at the Abbey.

We had the unique opportunity of speaking with Don Agostino Saccomanno, the sole surviving monk of the February, 1944, bombing of the Abbey.

We filmed the dedication of the seventh stained glass "peace" window organized by the Monte Cassino Federation for Remembrance and Reconciliation (London) and sponsored by the Israel World Veterans' League and attended by the Israeli Ambassador to Italy; we spoke with veterans from the 34th Division at the annual memorial for the 36th "Texas" Division at Sant Angelo on the Rapido River; we interviewed local historian and publisher Frederico Lamberti on the top of Hill 593 where so many died; and we spent many delightful and inspiring hours up at the Abbey filming seldom visited areas that survived Allied bombardment.

GIF covers the "Peace" window ceremonies at the Abbey of Monte Cassino.

We've spoken to veterans from all over the world...
We are in contact with a group of Polish combatants who studied medicine after the war at the University of Bologna. Also, we have spoken to a representative of the German Parachute Division who fought in the Abbey, as well as Italian civilians who suffered so much during the battles.

For us at GIF this work has been more than just another film job; it is impossible not to get emotionally involved in the old veterans' stories. And it is quite obvious from responses to this web site that there is enormous interest in the battle for Cassino and the destruction of the Abbey of Monte Cassino.

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